


Love Vigilantes

by Giantnarwhal



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Established Relationship, In which Hux and Kylo grew up with the Resistance, Kylo doesn't have force powers, M/M, all aboard the pain train, but he's a bit force sensitive, resistance pilot kylo, ship engineer hux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 20:17:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Giantnarwhal/pseuds/Giantnarwhal
Summary: “Promise me you’ll come back. You’ll move out of your parents’ place and we’ll live together in a bigger unit. I’m going to buy more plants that will maybe finally live because you’re here to help me take care of them. Just you and me, Ben... and maybe even a loth-cat.”





	Love Vigilantes

Eight weeks.

 

Ben had been away on mission for eight weeks and he had promised Hux that he would take some shore leave after six weeks off-planet. He sighs, the wind taking the sound of it as he cruises inside a passenger speeder. He didn’t expect another long mission after the last one took him away for a month and a half, but then again nobody suspects an ambush.

 

It was a routine mission to scout along the far side of the Outer Rim to make sure there weren’t any First Order bases popping up. Five weeks in, after dropping by their tenth planet (all clear, no signs of any FO structures or personnel, Ben decided that he’d let Poe take the reins after a replacement arrives while he fucks off back to Tatooine), his whole squadron got into an altercation the moment they left the atmosphere.

 

He didn’t know how the First Order got their patrol routes, but he didn’t have any time to think about it as dozens of TIE Fighters descended upon them. The squadron was momentarily scattered until quick orders, heavily laced with curses, were shouted by Ben over the comms. By the time that they got any shots out, one of their own was already down. They were outnumbered four to one. Ben’s group were quickly overwhelmed but as their comrades fell, the survivors managed to fend them off. What was left of the team had to regroup back on the planet that they were last patrolling, and hailing assistance from the base took too long because of signal interference. They settled for the long wait, shaken but alive.

 

_"Scatter!" Ben shouts through the comms. There's too many of them to take on in a formation. He watches in horror as one of his fighters crashes into a TIE fighter, taking it down with them. They're never gonna make it, there's too many..._

 

He shakes off the grim memory. Those would be better haunting him when the moons are high in the sky, but for now he’s home. Poe and the rest of the survivors are also enjoying some well deserved time off.

 

_I love them all, but if I see them again it would be too soon._

 

He’s bouncing his knees in both dread and excitement as the speeder comes closer to Ben’s family home. He gazes out the window and sees the three moons just peeking out from the horizon, the sandy dunes still glowing red from the dying light of the sun.

 

_He’s gonna be so pissed._

 

Ben can’t help but grin even as the threat of an angry Hux looms upon him. He’s finally being reunited with Hux after having no opportunities to communicate throughout the mission. Their location had some space debris that emitted frequencies that messed with the comms, but at least the links between his fighters were stable. Ben shuddered at the thought of being ambushed with no way of linking with his squadron.  
  
Hux would have a solution to that problem by now. As the Chief Starship Engineer he won’t leave that sort of problem for too long. Troubleshooting ship issues gets him going like nothing can. Hux’s modifications to most of the original Rebellion ship designs have won them so many victories against the First Order, while minimizing losses. He’s even made progress on some brand new ship designs, which Hux could go on about if left unchecked.

 

_“See, I even modified the cockpit so it wouldn’t be such a tight fit. I swear you’re part Wookiee sometimes.”_

_Ben looked in awe at his freshly painted custom X-Wing, designed by Hux himself. It looks as if the cockpit was a bit bigger on the inside. The only difference on the outside was the red arrows on both sides of the nose of the fighter, indicating his rank as Commander._  
  
_“Babe, my fighters might get jealous once they see this.” Ben walks to hug Hux from behind, sneaking a sweet kiss just below his ear. Hux sighs happily and turns so their foreheads are touching. Once again Ben is blown away by the strong wave of adoration and contentment emanating from Hux. Even his minute amount of Force sensitivity could pick it up._  
_  
“Only the best for my starfighter,” Hux whispers, tilting his head back for a kiss._

 

The speeder was silent as it came to a stop outside his home. There’s the pneumatic hiss of the door opening, a blast of heat from the outside air, and Ben’s feet are touching sand for the first time in months. He dug his feet down the soft red sand, for once not annoyed about the gritty substance that seems to get everywhere despite all his attempts at keeping it out.

 

_I’m loving this now but I’ll give it two hours and I’ll wish I was planetside again._

 

He’s still smiling as he breathed in the dry air of Tatooine. As much as Ben loved hurtling through the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there’s really nothing that comes close to the feeling of the fading heat of the two suns, and the overall sense of _warmth_ and _home._ After a couple more minutes of appreciating the scenery outside their home, he finally had enough of the sand having a go at his face and starts trekking the short distance to their home.

 

Ben plans to make his way over to Hux’s unit after resting a bit.  Hux’s unit is in a compound not far from their place, but he wants to take his landspeeder for a ride after being away from solid ground for far too long. Ben really couldn’t wait to surprise Hux, the prospect of finally seeing him outweighing the fear of facing the full force of Hux’s anger and worry.

 

_Both of them lay side by side, bodies sweaty and sated from their exertions. One of Hux’s hands is tracing circles on Ben’s stomach, dipping at the come cooling on the surface. He makes sure that Ben’s watching as he takes fingers and sucks on them, tasting Ben’s come and spreading some on his lips._

 

_“Babe, you’re seriously killing me here,” Ben groans as he props himself up to his side to kiss Hux. He licked at Hux’s lips and groans at the bitter taste of himself. Smiling, Ben pulls away to take in the sight, his movement shifting the sheets to bare more of Hux’s milky skin. The silver light of the moon from their window makes Hux’s skin glow. The light catches on the sheen of his sweat, making his collar bones, shoulders, and hips all the more alluring. Ben is transfixed at the wet glisten of his lover’s body, generously accented by marks from his teeth and lips. Hux seems to catch Ben’s train of thought and chuckles, drawing him in again for another kiss._

 

_He never wanted to leave Hux’s side ever again. It’s been too long since Ben had last seen him, and a week of shore leave is not even close to being enough after a month apart. He doesn’t give voice to his thoughts, because it’s going to inevitably lead into Hux trying to convince him to use his skills as a tactician and pilot planetside where it’s safe. Instead Ben deepens the kiss, the air between then beginning to heat back up with the wet slide of their tongues together. He pulls little noises of contentment from Hux, smiling into the kiss before coming back up for air. Ben lays back down to catch his breath, turning his head to face Hux._

 

_“I love you.”_

 

_Hux grins at him and begins to ease himself up from the bed, coming back around to set Ben astride his hips. He leans down to peck at Ben’s lips, once, twice._

 

_“I love you too, idiot. Now come on, I want you inside me at least once before you need to leave, and then I want to fuck you again.” Hux ground down against him, both their cocks filling at the contact._

_“At least once?”_

 

_Ben grins as they fall into each other again._

 

The memory fades just in time for Ben to not hit himself straight towards the door.

 

He’s already preparing excuses for Hux’s inevitable wrath. By now he would’ve heard the news about what happened with his mission. He would’ve gone to Hux first but he doesn’t think Leia would forgive him if she ever found out he didn’t come home as soon as he landed. A beep snaps Ben out of his thoughts and he looked at the direction of the source of the noise.

 

“Artoo! Nice to see you buddy.”

 

R2D2 goes right past him, seemingly busy with his own tasks.

 

_Maybe he broke again, gotta ask Hux about that._

 

The doors slide open as the droid nears and Ben steps inside with it.

 

“Mom!” Ben calls, hitching his backpack up a bit higher as he walks through the hallway. It’s awfully quiet, an indicator that Ben’s dad isn’t there for Leia to argue with. Han’s dubious little enterprise takes him off-planet too much, which was often the cause of Ben’s childhood tantrums. Too many times he celebrated his birthday with only droids for company. He’s a bit disappointed, because for all their disagreements Ben still loves Han. He would’ve preferred to see him after being spaceside for so long.

 

Out from the hallway, Ben enters the main room, which has the lounge area, kitchen, and dining room in one space. A dividing panel separates the lounge area with the rest of the room, and he goes to check the dining area. Through his weak connection with the Force he senses two people in the dining area.

 

_Huh, maybe dad is also planetside after all._

 

“Mom? I see you got dad to fix that little squeaky panel on the floor, or did he just give up his whole ‘handyman’ schtick and got Artoo to fix it?”

 

Ben pauses at the sight of a very familiar and beloved mop of red hair, the owner of it with his back turned. He feels himself grinning with excitement, and a little bit of confusion.  
  
“Hux?”  
  
Ben approaches, moving to the side slightly to get a better view of Hux.

 

_Well this was unexpected, but at least I’d get to surprise the both of them now. Maybe they’ll both be so happy that Hux will forget about being mad--_

 

His thoughts come to a grinding halt as he really takes in the scene in front of him.

 

He’s sitting in front of their dining table, and across him was Leia. She’s holding one of Hux’s hands with both her own, rubbing the back of his hand in a comforting manner. Hux’s shoulders are trembling.

  
Something’s wrong.

 

“Hux, baby what’s up?” He asked before turning to address Leia.

 

“Mom, what’s going on with Hux?”  
  
Ben’s right in front of them now, beginning to get annoyed with the way both Hux and his mom ignoring him.

 

 _What, now they’re both mad at me? I’m safe at home now and that’s all that’s supposed to matter, right?_  
  
Then he notices the package resting at the table, between Hux and Leia. It’s been opened, and as he comes closer his brain catches up with what he’s seeing and his stomach drops. He recognizes what Hux is clutching in one shaking hand.

 

Ben’s dog tags.

 

He places a palm over his chest, where his dog tags should be resting but his hand only hit fabric and flesh. Ben never takes them off.

 

“Hux, how’d you get those--”

 

“I knew it, I knew that man wouldn’t keep his promise. He should’ve stayed… he should’ve…” Hux couldn’t finish his sentence, covering his face with his hands, crumbling away completely. Leia stands to go behind where Hux is seated, wrapping her arms around his slight body and taking the dog tags from where it’s sandwiched between Hux’s hand and his face. She sets them down and keeps her hold on Hux.

 

_The morning finds Ben fully dressed, with Hux by the doorway, tapping his foot anxiously. Finally Hux couldn’t take it anymore and strode across to where Ben is sitting on the bed, packing his bag. Hux kneels by his side, next to the bed, and takes one of Ben’s hand in both of his, raising them rest his cheek on their knuckles._

 

_“Stay, darling. I can’t bear the thought of you out there. I can’t get a moment’s rest knowing you’re fighting for your life every second.”_

_Ben’s heart breaks at Hux’s plea. All he wanted to do was leave the battlefield, weary of all the bloodshed and pain. It’s unfair for the people that fight for their cause, though, like his cousin Rey and his Uncle Luke. They’ve lived their lives with their possessions all inside a ship, never staying in one place and helping the galaxy on planet at a time. Ben doesn’t envy them for that, but he briefly wonders what it must be like if fate made him Force-sensitive._

 

_A little squeeze on his hand takes him out of his reverie._

  
_“Promise me you’ll come back. You’ll move out of your parents’ place and we’ll live together in a bigger unit. I’m going to buy more plants that will maybe finally live because you’re here to help me take care of them. Just you and me, Ben... and maybe even a loth-cat.”_  
  
“Sweetheart, I know. I know. It hurts so much,” Leia says, voice trembling with the effort to remain even and composed in front of Hux.

 

Hux’s hands come up to hold onto Leia, and that’s when she broke down as well. They’re drowning in grief, and trying to anchor themselves to each other.  
  
Ben looks at the scene, crying with them silently. It’s clear now what happened to him, although why would the Force make him watch the pain his death inflicted on his loved ones? If only he was a bit stronger with it, maybe he could connect with them one more time like the ghosts that visit his uncle.

 

He doesn’t know how long he has with them, and Ben can’t tear his eyes away from Leia and Hux. His mother is strong, having lost so much, yet she’s still fighting so everyone else would have a future untarnished by the evils who would take the galaxy for themselves. Hux has also endured his fair share of pain, having been adopted into the Resistance when his father left him for dead, fleeing when they raided his Imperialist hideout. Hux had been a slip of a thing then, angry and unapproachable. They quickly learned that he had a penchant for fiddling with parts and gave him little repair tasks to keep him occupied. Ben came to him after a few days, a little crying eight-year-old who was clutching at a broken X-Wing toy. They’d been inseparable since then.

 

_Ben shyly approached the boy tinkering with R2D2, his sniffling giving him away. The boy turned to face him, looking at his tear-stained face down to his pitiful little toy. Ben musters up the courage to speak._

 

_“Mama said you could fix it.”_

 

_“That I can, come over here and let me have a look at it.” Hux pulls over a chair next to him before closing Artoo’s panels. “You’re good to go, just don’t strain yourself you ancient rust bucket,” Hux says affectionately at the offended droid, who gave off a series of beeps before wheeling away. Ben walked over to Hux’s makeshift workbench and sat at the offered chair, handing over his broken toy._

 

_“Oh, the wings just snapped, just a little glue and it’s gonna be good as new… Ben, is it?” Hux says, startling Ben at the mention of his name._

 

_“Ben, and you’re Hux!” Ben grins, watching Hux stick the wings back on the body. Hux blows a little air into the join, encouraging the glue to dry._

 

_“That I am.”_

  
“It was the First Order, wasn’t it?” Hux said after regaining most of his composure. His face is tear-streaked and Ben had to look away from Hux’s eyes because the pain roiling in them was too much, but beneath the grief fire was starting to stir.

 

“The attack was sudden and quick, and they left… there were only three survivors from Ben’s squadron. They’re the only ones who could’ve pulled it off,” Leia replied, looking at the sudden fierceness within Hux’s expression, before calling him out.  
  
“Hux, I know what you’re thinking and it will not happen.” Leia warns.

 

“Leia, they staged an ambush and killed most of the best squadron we had. The schematics are there, we just have to allocate resources--” Hux starts rambling but Leia quickly cuts him off.

“The schematics are ever only going to remain schematics, Armitage. Listen to yourself! Ben just died, and he wouldn’t want you to use his name for such a terrible act. Leave the war crimes to the First Order, and delete those files of yours.”

 

Hux looked visibly deflated by Leia’s words. Ben only knew of Starkiller when he stumbled across Hux’s designs, left uncharacteristically out in the open one busy night. It was brilliant, and the most terrifying thing he saw Hux make. He made Hux swear to him to never build the weapon, and hide or possibly destroy the plans so nobody could ever get to them.

 

_“What are these?” Kylo calls out, looking at the schematics on Hux’s holopad which rested on his worktable._

 

_“This looks like the Death Star if it’s been maxed out on stims. They sent you First Order intel?”_

 

_Kylo turns around to see Hux’s white face staring back at him from the doorway. Hux looks at him for a moment, assessing before replying, carefully._

 

 _“It’s… my design. Borrowed from the principles of the Death Star.”_  
_  
“Borrowed from the principles of… Hux do you hear yourself? This thing looks like it could wipe out a star system! That’s Imperial tactics. We won’t ever do that.”_

 

_“I’m not really planning to push through with this. I just designed it as an exercise, how to recreate something out of a flawed design and make it bigger and better. I doubt it’s ever going to see the light of day.”_

 

“You’re right. Forgive me Leia, it’s just… Ben. He’s gone.”  
  
Hux says the last two words like he can’t believe it’s coming out of his mouth. Leia’s still embracing Hux, and she comforts him by rubbing small circles in his back. She seems to also ground herself with the touch.

 

Ben moved closer and tentatively reached out to try and feel Hux and Leia with his hands, his fingers turning transparent at contact and passing through their bodies.

 

_I really am gone._

 

“I’m so sorry,” He whispers, kneeling down to gingerly envelop both Hux and Leia into an embrace that he wishes they could all feel. He doesn’t know what to say, or if it matters since they’re never going to hear his words. Ben places his head on his mother’s shoulder, pretending he could feel her warmth, pretending that this is a reunion just for a moment, and not a goodbye.

 

 _“Yes Hux. I’ll come back to you.”_  
  
_“Say it,” Hux looks at him, blue eyes locking onto brown, pleading._  
  
_Ben chuckles at his stern expression and kisses Hux’s brow. He then takes Hux’s hand and leans down to whisper the words across Hux’s knuckles._

 

_“I promise I’ll come home.”_

**Author's Note:**

> I am forever thankful to [H3llcat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/H3llcat/pseuds/H3llcat) for always being there and reading through my work. I love you.
> 
> I also want to thank all the writers I follow on twitter who really motivate me to work. I had a brief spell where I was so discouraged I almost didn't finish this, but they helped out so much. (I don't want to tag them all here I'm a bit shy lol)
> 
> I swear I have a setting other than angst and pain I've just yet to find it.
> 
> The title is based off [Love Vigilantes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlHQSIMHqjA) by New Order. The idea popped into my head while listening to this. If you're not a fan of new wave you can listen to this beautiful cover by Iron & Wine [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL-mDlRKNKg).
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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